


The Cast

by EscapingStories (orphan_account)



Category: Dancing with the Stars (US) RPF
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-02
Updated: 2014-07-02
Packaged: 2018-02-07 04:53:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,234
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1885821
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/EscapingStories
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Just the thoughts from the rest of the cast over the course of Season 18.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Cast

It’s during week three’s dress rehearsal that someone says something. The surprising thing is that it’s Candace Cameron, god worshiping child TV star, that lets it slip as everyone tries to watch them as inconspicuously as possible from the corners of the studio. They’re mostly in the sky box, because Meryl and Maks are last because of her and and Charlie’s skating schedule and Candace turns to Danica and says “He’s in love with her.”

Danica just shrugs and goes back to watching Maks whisper in Meryl’s ear about camera angles or something, but the pros all look back at the floor taking in what has been totally normal in a new light. They all know he gets around, almost the entire female cast has slept with him at some point, Karina was engaged to him at one point. But Candice is right there’s something very different happening here. Peta leans back to catch Val’s eye, trying to see what he knows about his brother’s thinking. Val however looks just as intrigued as everybody else leaning over the railing to watch.

Erin appears at that moment to do their faked interview, and wrinkles her brow at all of them leaning over the balcony watching. “What’s going on?” Sharna is kind enough to elaborate without making them all feel like fools. Erin just laughs, “I don’t know about you ladies, but he definitely did not look at me like that ever.” Everyone, bursts into laughter at that and are able to break away to finish getting ready for the live show, but that’s when they start watching way more carefully.

Peta loves to watch them. She get’s all sappy about it, Maks falling in love with this tiny little thing that won’t take any shit from him and refuses to let him become his lowest common denominator when it comes to his personality instead pushing him to live up to everything that he is. Sharna just smacks her, and says, “It’s all well and good until she has him dancing in an airport because our flight is delayed again.” Cheryl mostly shakes her head and sighs when she catching them in a corner doing nothing but holding hands.

Val is totally speechless on the fact, all he’s got is that his brother has never been like this with anyone. Derek thinks it’s really funny, mostly because the Meryl that he knew before and the Meryl that is out there with Maks are such different people that it’s wonderful to see her just completely blossom. Tony doesn't know what to do with Maks, this guy is someone that rather than outbursts about the competition is completely melting down because he’s not good enough. It’s actually driving him a little crazy.

Karina is glad she got out early this time, less time she has to spend with either of them. Or even just watching because she can see in every moment with this one person Maks is ten times the person that he was with her, it makes her happy and sad at once. Mark is steering clear completely, keeping Candace on task and not freaking out is hard enough. The younger girls are aware of Maks reputation but haven’t really worked with him, but even they think there’s something happening.

It’s the celebrity cast that is the funniest about it. Candice having seen it first isn't bothered by it, Nene want’s to get up in Meryls face and tell her to jump him, Danica is trying to figure out how to understand Val like Meryl gets his brother. Amy for the most part is too worried about other things and her boyfriend, but when her boyfriend does visit she makes him watch their dress rehearsal. Charlie refuses to say anything about the two, he gets a small smile and shakes his head. Once though when he and Sharna were sacked out waiting for a their flight and Meryl has Maks up teaching her a combination for their jive he tells her he’s never seen her so happy. Sharna immediately lets Peta know.

It’s the freestyle though. On the last night that’s what seals it. Not the almost kiss at the end but Maks and his general freak out before the show. At rehearsal he’s jittering, and it’s not until she slides up next him that he calms down, and in the next moment is getting him to laugh and it’s a stunning thing to see him magically melt at her smile. Tony finds him on the stairwell after the show, he’s never seen his friend this emotional. Val does the only thing that makes sense though and sends Meryl over to him. Maks had obviously attempted to hide the fact that he was having a breakdown about it and again she doesn't even think anything of it. Just wraps her arms around him and lifts her whole self into him cooing in his ear.

It’s kinda of a running joke backstage when they watch the west coast feed because in the first weeks it really was production trying to create a romance out of any couple that was age appropriate. James and Peta, which Peta was only too happy to perpetuate, love stories always get the votes and it seemed to be helping. The producers were all about Whitney and Cody. Whitney and Cody were not about that. The weeks went by and it was weird because the producers never had to play up a connection between the two of them. Or cut together weird pieces of rehearsal. So it wasn't until the finale that they even tried to get a ton of mileage out of it.

Tom can tell you though in 18 seasons of hosting this rather bizarre and crazy show, and knowing Maks for 10 years there’s is probably the most precious relationship to come out of it. There doesn't have to be words to perfectly describe it, and there doesn't have to be harassing questions about whether they’re together, just look at the way he hangs off her. The way she pets him, just thoroughly gets in his space, and he wants her there.

Carrie Ann and Burno think it’s all in the way she looks back at him. If it wasn't for the way that she tips her head up to him and smiles when they’re judging it would all be a show of Maks’ side to help win, but its her glorious smile that seals the deal. Maks has found a partner that keeps up with him step for step and you can see it in his eyes, he doesn’t know what to do at all because of it.

Len is already plotting how to get another all stars season because really the whole thing is a lot more pleasurable when the celebrity can dance, and when they can dance as well as Meryl does with Maks it’s really something you want to get back out there. He’s in fact positive that if their dancing hadn't been so stunning to watch no one would have cared if there was a love story.

And it might be his last season as the executive producer but Conrad Green is glad that that Maks finally won, and he can’t get over that it was his wife that told him the little figure skater would be exactly what the hot tempered Russian would need.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading


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